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The aim of the project was to gauge the perceptions of the Albanian public on the period in Albanian history commonly referred to as the ‘transition,’ as well as to understand Albanians’ expectations about the future. The data gathered by this project constitutes a valuable addition to the rich body of data gathered over the years by the Albanian Institute for International Studies through a considerable number of surveys that have, for the most part, focused on the issues of Euro-Atlantic integration, state and institution building, the implementation of democratic standards, and, to a lesser extent, on social issues and the economy. This project is distinct because it is the first attempt to offer an overview of not only the way in which the Albanian public has experienced the post-Communist transition, but also the way in which this experience has shaped their expectations for the future.

As implied by the title, Albania in the Next Ten Years is a survey focusing on expectations. It aims to explore the way in which Albanians see the near future of their country. The choice of ten years was not arbitrary, nor was it motivated by the understanding that, the longer the stretch of time on which respondents would be asked to give an opinion, the more their responses would move into the realm of fantasy and pure speculation. The survey is, rather, a 4 Albania in the next ten years calculated choice since the next ten years are going to be crucial to the integration of Albania into the European Union; a development that would mark the end of the transition period as it is currently understood in the Albanian public debate. Survey after survey has shown that most Albanians believe that 2020 will most likely be the year in which Albania gains EU membership.